Can-opener



H. TILL.

CAN OPENER.

APPLICATION FILED JUNE 1, 1920.

1,392,466, Patented Oct. 4, 1921.

INVENTOR. Henry T 11L A TTORNEY UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

HENRY TILL, OF PITTSBURG, CALIFORNIA.

CAN-OPENER.

Speeiflcaftion 01' Letters remit. Patented Oct. 4, 1921.

Continuation of applicatlona serial No. 385,355, filed November 3, 1919, and Serial No. 346,025, filed December 19, 1919. This application filed June 1, 1920. Serial No. 385,527.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, HENRY TILL, a citizen of the United States, residing at Pittsburg, in the county of Contra Costa, State of Cahfornia, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Can-Openers; and -I do declare the following to be a full, clear, and exact description of the same, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, and to the characters of reference marked thereon, which form a part of this application.

This invention relates to improvements in can-openers, and is particularly intended to be a continuation of my co-pending applications Serial No. 335,355, filed November 3rd, 1919, and Serial No. 346,025, filed December 19th, 1919.

The principal object of my invention is to provide a can opener having two diiferent cutting members, each being designed for use on that type of can to which it is best adapted, so that with my device any type of can, whether circular, rectan lar or other shape, and of any size, may readily and easily opened with a minimum of effort on the part of the user.

I have also provided a simple attachment for holding one of the cutting members out of the way of the other and inactive when the latter is being used.

A further object is to provide an article having a minimum of parts, which are arranged in such a manner that the cleaning of the device after use is an easy task, since there are no narrow crevices in which food, etc., may collect and become stale by reason of the users inability to easily wash the canopener.

A further object of the invention is to produce a simple and inexpensive device,

and yet one which will be exceedingly efi'ective for the purposes for which it is designed. a

- These objects I accomplish by means of such structure and relative arrangement of parts as will fully appear by a perusal of the following specification and claims.

In the drawings similar characters of reference indicate correspondingparts in the several views.

Figure 1 is a side elevation'of my improved can-opener, partly in section, showing one of the cutting elements operating on a sanitary can.

Fig. 2 is a perspective view'of the same.

right angles to form a short arm 3, from which extends a flat member 4 shank.

The plane of this member is at right angles tothe arm 3, and both side edges are curved from the arm 3 to a point at the outer end. Both such edges are beveled on the face away from said arm to form opposed cutting edges 5.

The outer edges of the arm 3 are preferably sharp as s own at 6, so that when this cutter portion is used to open a can 7 of the type shown in Fig. 3, one Or the other of the sharp edges of the arm will bite into the edge of the can and form a non-slipping fulcrum for the cutting element when a downward pressure is exerted on the shank.

Slidable and rotatable on the shank'l is a rotary cutter 8, which comprises a sharp edged and hardened circular cutting disk 9, preferably cup-shaped in cross section,

parallel to the and having a sharp edged and pointed lip 10 projecting from the periphery of the disk at any point thereon, and in the same plane as the cutting edge thereof.

The disk 9 is concave relative to the outer end of the shank, and for a portion of its area extends at right angles to the shank, as at 11. Spaced from this portion of the cutting disk and approximately the same size thereas is a ide disk 12, to which is fixed or formed integral therewith a roller 13 extending between the cutting and guide disks, and adapted to bear on the rim 14 of a can 1501' \the sanitary type.

My can opener is particularly intended Adjacent the disk 9 this roller is shoul dered as at 16 to form an abutment for said disk, the latter slipping thereover,and the right angles to the shan and extending .lation of the same.

away therefrom a distance slightly greater than the radius of the galide'disk 12. The strip is then bent toward the shank as at 19, and terminates along a line the same distance from said shank as the flat edge 17 of the disk 12 therefrom.

This member serves as a clip or catch to hold the rotar cutter from sliding on the shaft, in whic case the fiat portion 17 of the guide disk passes over the portion 19 of the cli and by then turning the member 8 somew at, it is prevented from sliding movement.

The edge of the, clip is curved horizontally on about the same center as the neck of an ordinar bottle and is so shaped and positioned re ative to the shank that it may also be used as a bottle-cap remover, by appl in the edge of the clip under the cap, an li ting upon the handle, the shank restin on the cap as a fulcrum.

A's ort distance from the pointed member 4 the shank is 'flattened to form shoulders 20, in this manner preventing the cutter 8 from slidin down too close to the end.

When'using t e rotary cutter, the center of the can is first punctured by holding the shank vertically and pressing the pointed member 4 into the center of the can, the shoulders 20 preventing the rotary cutter from sliding down onto the member 4 and interfering with the vision and the manipu- The cutter 8 is then moved into position so that the roller bears on the rim 14 of the can, and rotated so that the lip 10is adjacent the top of the can. A slig t downward pressure on the handle will be suflicient to cause the lip to puncture the can and rovide an. initial orifice which-is then readl y enlarged by the action thereon of the main body of the cutter.

By then pressing the handle 2 forwardas a fulcrum, and the arm 3 serving as a pivotal point for the movement of the handle. y

When utilizing the member-4 as a canopening element, the rotary cutter is held up out of the way by meansof the clip on the handle, as aforesaid.

l and rotated slightl readily seen that Iihave produced such a de- 'vice as substantially fulfils the object o the invention as set forth herein. While this specification sets forth in detail the present and preferred construction of'the device still in practice such deviations from such detail may be resorted toas do not form a departure from the spirit of the invention, as defined by the appended claims.

Having thus described my invention what I claim as new and useful and desire to secure by Letters Patent .is:-

1. A can opener comprising a shank, a rotar edge and narrow lip projecting from" the periphery of the cutter and in the same plane as the cutting edge thereof.

2. A can opener comprising a shank having an offset and sharp end adapted to pierce the center of the top of a can, a handle on the other end, arotary cutter slidable and turnable on the shank, a guide cutting disk thereon, and a sharp" secured to the handle and adapted to engage the disk to hold the cutter against sli in can, a handle on the other end, a rotary cutter slidable and turnable on the shank, a guide disk formed with the cutter, said disk being flattened for aportion of its periphery, and a rigid clip depending. from the ferrule of the handle and having its outer end bent to extendtoward the shank,

the distance frorrthe shank tosaid bent portion of the cli being the same as that from the shank to t e flat ed slidin on the shank.

4. can opener comprisin ing an offset and sharp end a apted to ierce the center of the top of a can, a ban le, on the other end, a rotary cutter slidable and turnable on the shank, and means whereby when the cutter is moved adjacent the handle it will be against sliding on t eshank.

5. A can opener comprising a shank, a

rigid handle on one end thereof, a rotary cutter sli-dable and turnable on the shank, a guide member-fixed to the cutter, and a clip secured to the handle and adapted to engage the guide member to hold thecutter against sliding movement.

HENR TILL;

of the disk, whete- 4 by the latter. may be shd onto the clip, and, then turned slightly to hold the cutter from;

. a shank havfirmly held- 85 A disk formed with the cutter, and li I 12a, In testimony whereofI aflix my signature. 

